


The Trial of Rey Solo

by MsVonB82



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Treason
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:34:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23851654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsVonB82/pseuds/MsVonB82
Summary: Rey's actions upon the Supremacy are exposed casting her reputation, her fidelity to the cause, and her place among the resistance to be questioned. As she is placed before her own for judgment, she and Kylo Ren make decisions about their connection that can help or hurt those she loves.--updates happen as they happen--
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Armitage Hux
Comments: 17
Kudos: 30
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. The Crime

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbeta'd. So all mistakes belong to me.  
> Thoughts by characters are in italics.  
> Been a while since I've done a series fic. Be gentle.

Synopsis: Events on supremacy, after the lightsaber exploded, have come to light, therefore, changing Rey and Kylo Ren’s life.

**CHAPTER 1: THE CRIME**

The sound of metal groaning was the first thing that registered in Rey’s mind as her consciousness slowly crept back to her. Opening her eyes, she squinted from the throbbing pain in her head and from the red fire flickering around the eyes of her vision. Blinking rapidly, her eyes recognized the red fire as flames dancing on red cloth of the dead body in front of her. Rolling unto her back and moving away from the flames, she glanced up to the metal beams across the ceiling. Her brain smarted with the recognition that she was still in the Supreme Leader’s Throne room. Sitting up quickly, she grunted as she felt pain searing through localized spots in her head, her back, and her right ankle. Her brain compared the electrical pain that shot through her body while Snoke violated her, the current pain, and the odd yet sharp pressure she experienced when Ben interrogated her. _Ben. Broken Lightsaber._ _Explosion._

Suddenly Rey’s eyes darted around the smokey room until she eyed a heap of black fabric across from her. Scrambling from the floor with a shout of “Ben!”, she rushed toward the crumbled form of Kylo Ren. As her body moved forward, she begged the force for his life and instinctively reached out to feel him in the back of her mind. _Nothing. Silence._ When she finally reached him, she dropped to her knees grabbed his body and with all the strength she could muster, pulled Ben’s body over onto his back. “Ben, Ben, wake up....Baby, please wake up. Ben!!” flew from her lips as she shook his unconscious form. _Baby. Where_ _did that come from?_

Rey shook her head focusing on the task at hand-- Getting Ben to wake up and seeing if he was injured. She laid her head to his chest listening for sounds of life. Breathing a sigh of relief, Rey took in the light sounds of breathing and the timbre of his heartbeat. The sound tingled across her skin like a dusting of blown sand, causing her to both shiver and sob. Closing her eyes tight, Rey laughed a small sob while her head remained on his chest. Reaching around his torso, she felt around for wet spots on his heavy garb and felt hot tears slide down her face as her fingers remained dry. Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and looked at his face. His pale, slightly bruised, and blooded beautiful face. Her hands drug up from his torso until they cupped his chin and neck. Before she could speak, a bright light caught her eye from the reflection of the large windows behind Snoke’s throne. Ships exploding and small dots of shadow moving closer to the planet Crait filled her line of sight as she stared out the window. _Finn. Leia. Chewie._

Glancing back down at Ben, she took in the softness that being unconscious caused on his features. She memorized the fullness of his lips, the absence of stress lines on his forehead, the soft black lashes kissing his cheek, and his long raven hair pillowing around his head like the darkest halo her soul could imagine and knew what she had to do. Rey felt the force slip around her, encouraging her, coaxing her. Leaning forward, she laid her forehead to his and gripped his face tighter in her cupped hands, whispering “I can’t let them die...Ben, I can’t let my friends die. I’m so, so sorry. I need you to forgive me. Please force, forgive me”. She could feel her tears running down her cheeks as her breathing became slightly labored and they fell onto his face, but she had to continue –the force urged her to continue, “I need you to come back to me, okay. I need- I need you to be safe. If you have to say I did it then...please, be safe. I need you to live for us, okay. I know what I saw. You are mine Ben Solo and I...I am yours. Forgive me”. As soon as the words stopped flowing from her like a river, she pressed forward and kissed him softly. Flinging her body away from him, she looked around until she spotted his lightsaber. She called it to her hand and quickly reattached it to his belt. She searched once more spotting her broken saber, calling it to herself. Ignoring the pain, she felt seeing the two halves, she stood up, looking down on his unconscious form and knew if she didn’t leave in that moment, she never would. Rey closed her eyes tight sending out a broken-hearted plea to the force. _Bring him back to me._

Opening her eyes, she turned and ran towards the closest door never noticing the blinking cameras above her in the ceiling. 

_\----_

_“_ Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, come on, come on, come on...Gotcha!” The computer engineer screamed as he caught the holovideo on his data stick. Whomever had gotten into the First Order database had repaired a damaged video, played it out, sent it without traceable information to an unknown data pad, and then deleted it as if never existed. If he didn’t catch a copy of this video for Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, he knew he was a dead man. His heart pounded through his chest and imprinted on his black shirt as he used every technical and computer skill he had to copy the file. As soon as the file saved, he yanked the stick from his terminal and took off running. He ran from the engineering room at a speed he did not know he was capable of. _She loves him. She loves him._ The words kept playing in his head. _That’s why she killed Snoke. She was protecting who she loves. Damn he’s lucky._ Sliding across the durasteel floor, the engineer bumped into a lone stormtrooper, used the momentum to keep moving, and shot himself to the closest elevator. He didn’t even stop from those yelling at him as his feet hit the officer floors as he started out of the elevator. Hell, he dodged a stun blast from a startled stormtrooper and didn’t stop. _Please let me get there without being killed._

The engineer noticed the door to the Supreme Leader’s office were slightly ajar as the two stormtroopers outside of the door appeared to be listening in. Slowing himself slightly, he jogged up and said “I’m expected” before they could ask a question, pushed the door wider on his left and slide inside. The troopers turned to grab him, and he slammed his hand against the door panel forcing the door fully closed, turning as fast as possible with his hands in the air, and shouted “Don’t kill me!” as he heard the unmistakable sound of Ren’s lightsaber igniting. 

“Then I suggest you speak quickly” Ren growled out. 

“AD-1183, computer engineer, have a data stick you better see” He spoke quickly. Glancing around for the first time noticing the two other officers sitting at the table. 

“Is that so?” Ren asked standing up from his chair 

“Alone sir, and I swear on my life, you will not regret it” The engineer stated looking Ren directly in the eye. 

Kylo Ren turned to see the two officers watching the scene with interest, growling “Out”, the officers jumped from their chairs and made their way from his office. AD-1183 turned upon their exit and quickly typed a code into the door panel thereby sealing himself inside the room with Ren and turned off the communication system in the room. AD-1183 turned back around, saying quickly “the system can be back channeled meaning it can be recorded. I turned it off”. He moved towards the table, slowing the thickness in his throat as Ren’s eyes tracked him like a predator to the table. He opened his right hand showing the data stick and placed it on the table nearest to Ren but not close enough to be burnt by the still lit saber. 

He watched as Ren slide the stick next to him and placed it into his data pad and pressed play. He watched Kylo Ren’s face as the images of Rey, and he played in front of his eyes. AD slowly dropped his hands to his sides as he saw the small signs of softness around Ren’s eyes and forehead as he watched the Jedi. _He loves her._ AD felt the corner of his lips turn slightly up as he realized he knew a very closest kept secret. 

“Where’s the audio?” Ren’s voice cut through AD-1183's thoughts. 

“There isn’t any. Not on that or the one that automatically sent to a...a different location” AD stumbled. 

“A different location?” Ren said eyes darkening with repressed violence. 

“Okay, so here’s the short story. I’m sitting at my terminal and all of a sudden, the thing went bonkers. It started to repair a file. As I’m watching the code, I realize it’s a video file and it was systematically deleted all the line codes for audio. It was actually pretty amazing to watch. Ugh” AD throat began to tighten, and he noticed Ren’s fist closing tighter near the pad, clearing his throat “it played the file. Sent to a datapad that I can backtrace because it was unlisted and then deleted itself.” The last words coming out as a whisper. 

“So, you watched the video prior to it deleting itself?” Ren asked not releasing AD’s throat. 

Nodding fast, AD motioned towards the stick. He felt the force releasing his neck and air getting in again. “Why did you bring it to me?” Ren asked. 

“Permission to be blunt sir” AD said swallowing hard. He watched as Ren tilted his head slightly and raised an eyebrow. _What the hell, if I’m going to die. “_ So that girl cried over you. I mean actually cried over your unconscious body. It got to me. I’m not like a romantic or anything, but I just felt it was right to let you know”. 

“Let me know what?” Ren growled out. 

“She loves you...and I don’t know about the rest of the First Order, but...if a Jedi, a First Order enemy, could love one of us, come to a ship to save one of us, and seems to feel that you're pretty fucking important to her then you can’t be that damn bad.” AD blurts out with conviction, “I mean, I get your reputation as a psychotic fucking murderer, but you had to do something right for that girl to love you. And...and since Snoke died you haven’t tried to kill us for no reason, so something changed. I- I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I hope that it’s not a bad thing...I wouldn’t mind following a guy who may actually be trying to end this thing so that people can be happy.” 

“So, let me get this straight, you think because Rey cried over my unconscious body that makes me a better man?” Ren asked. 

“Yes and no.” AD answered 

“Explain” Ren said. 

“No because only you can make yourself a better man. I think that loving her or her loving you or whatever has made you less volatile. That makes me respect you more...Yes because- because now I know you have something the lose like the rest of us. You may actually have a reason to really fight.” 

“Excuse me.” Ren said standing up from his chair again obviously interpreting AD-1183's statement as a threat. 

“That came out wrong. I mean now I know you're invested in ending the war, to stopping the resistance from terrorizing people, so that you can be with the person you love. You’re not just looking for power. That’s what they all want. Hux. Pryde. Algene. All of them. Power. They don’t care who they kill or hurt or any of it to stop the war....You do. I’ve seen it. Right there. You have something to lose. You have something to get back” AD shakes his head, realizing that knowing this secret made him feel loyal to the commanding officer standing less than six feet from him. 

Ren sensing the increased loyalty in the man, relaxed his shoulders and switched off his lightsaber causing AD to blow out the longest sigh in the history of man. “Find where that video went,” Ren says handing his datapad to AD who instantly starts typing. 

\--- 

Hux stepped out of the hotel bathroom, drying his red hair on the towel. “Your datapad went off”, his lover says as he continues lacing up his shoes. Dropping the wet towel on the bed, he buttoned his pants and walked over to his belongings. Glancing down at the notification, he stilled. 

**Supremacy Camera S1342. Damaged File. Sender Address[FSRYLO@unknown.pwr](mailto:FSRYLO@unknown.pwr) **

Curiosity getting the best of him, he presses open file. Hux felt as his mouth dropped open in shock as he watched the Resistance’s Jedi rush to the aid of an unconscious Kylo Ren. He checked the speakers on his datapad twice when he noticed that he could see her lips move but not hear her words. “Fuck!” he snapped as he rewound the video. He didn’t turn as he heard his lover walk closer towards him. 

“What is it?” His lover’s deep voice asks stepping directly behind him. Leaning his body to begin looking over his shoulder. 

“You need to watch this.” Hux replied turning and without hesitation handing the datapad to his lover. His enemy. His informant. His handler. 

“Hugs what is this?” Poe asked, eyes darting between the moving images of Rey with Kylo Ren in an embrace and Hux’s face. 

  
“Treason” He answered. 


	2. The connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Synopsis: Kylo Ren and Rey are each confronted with their own thoughts and feelings about one another and the events on the Supremacy.

Ren paced the length of his office floor for fifty-seven minutes. It has been fifty-seven minutes of nerves buzzing beneath his skin from anxiety. Fifty-seven minutes of his mind replaying Rey’s distraught face hovering over his unconscious body in a loop. Fifty-seven minutes of knowing that her lips touch his without recalling the softness of that skin. Fifty-eight minutes of truly being afraid that he’d never see her again, “Have you found anything, yet?”. 

“I’m not sure...I mean...fuck! Hold on...sorry...hold on. Come on, come on...” AD explains as he begins to type furiously on the datapad. Ren watched as the technician, AD-1183, moved his fingers across the touchscreen keyboard. He could tell that the man was in deep concentration. He felt himself fighting against his instincts to get that man to talk- to tell him what he saw that made the air around him tremble with fear. Ren could feel the tension in his muscles as his body was glued to the spot, watching waiting. He felt the force’s warning of danger before his eyes took in the sight of AD’s eyes widening, his mouth parting slightly, and the air sucked in quickly through his nose. Ren never asked but he found he didn’t need to as he felt fear waft off the man, and heard the words slide out from his lips like ink, “Oh, you gotta be kidding me”. 

\--- 

Rey found herself distracted as she walked down the base hallway. She knew she was excited to have lunch with her friends, Finn and Rose, but she couldn’t' shake the feeling that there was danger lurking in the air. Reaching the mess hall, she looked around for her friends, but could not find them. Suddenly, she felt the air leave her body as though she was punched hard in the stomach. Followed by an intense feeling of fear that made her nerve endings buzz and her temples throb. _Ben._ She couldn’t help but wonder what could have made him feel like that. _No, no, he betrayed her. He broke her heart._ Shaking her head, Rey focused on the people in her life now. The people she knew she could rely on- Finn, Poe, Rose, Leia, and Chewie. The people who made her smile and made her feel important. She would not think of the man who told her she was nothing. _But not to me._ The man that implied that she and her friends- her family- were better off dead. _Join me...please._ The man whose very presence both terrified and illuminated something deep inside her soul. _You are mine, Ben Solo._

Grounded her teeth together, Rey looked around the mess hall. No sign of them. Feeling disappointed, Rey started to step forward when she heard her name yelled. Turning she saw Rose rushing down the hall towards her. “Maker Rey, I’m happy I caught you before you started to eat”, Rose stated as she stopped in front of Rey and leaned into her own knees. 

“Yeah? Why’s that?” Rey asked amused 

“Because I would never get you away from it" She jokes sticking out her tongue, "Anyways, Poe commed that he was on his way back and said he had some big news. This could be it Rey, this may be how we beat them” Rose said oozing excietment. 

“I wonder what it could be?” Rey said following as Rose turned back to walk towards the hangar. As her brain began to ponder, Rey felt the nerves in her body trembling and fear starting to take over. _Maybe that’s what’s bothering Ben. He knows we got them._ That thought brought a grin to Rey’s lips. 

\--- 

“Well?” Kylo says stepping closer to AD, attempting to peer over his shoulders and onto the datapad. 

“Uh....ok. I tracked the recipient of the video. It was hard because it seems to be a personal datapad, but it appeared to be a First Order acquisition which makes it a little, a little easier to get the info on...but, but I tracked it...I tracked it”, AD 1183 had to try hard to settle the tremble in his voice as he formed the words that he knew his leader was looking for, “to a specific First Order Employee.” 

Noticing his hesitancy, Kylo knew he would regret asking who it belonged to. He could feel his blood pressure rise enough to make his temples throb. He grew certain that after the words leave the technician’s mouth that he may proceed to destroy his entire office. Glancing around the room quickly, he noticed the new table and chairs, the new photograph that covered the wall where he damaged it badly with his lightsaber that the droids could not get the markings from the durasteel and debated internally if he really needed to know. “Who does the datapad belong to AD-1183?”, he found himself asked calmly. 

“Uh”, AD cleared a cough from his throat and whispered, “General Hux, sir”. 

Kylo felt every muscle in his body tense up. _Hux._ His actual nemesis just gained access to a video that suggests that he has a personal relationship with the scavenger girl. His nemesis is the recipient of a video that shows her being affectionate and worried about him. His nemesis is now in possession of a video that could put Rey in danger. Taking in a large breath through his nose, Kylo stepped away from the technician, walked over to the left side of the long office table, and sat his lightsaber down. He could feel the fear and the rage coursing through his body with such ferocity that he could taste the adrenaline in his teeth. He placed his hands, palm down, onto the table and closed his eyes. _She’s in danger._ He couldn’t help it as he instinctively reached for their connection. She was there, small but present, and he could sense her contentment, her happiness, and her excitement. There was also a hint of disappointment? _Why the hell is she feeling disappointed about?_ Kylo opened his eyes and looked the technician straight in the eye and before he could speak, AD single handedly destroyed what small measure of calm holding tight within Kylo’s body. 

“I think he copied it”, AD-1183 speaks breaking eye contact with Kylo to glance at the datapad. “Shit!”, AD yelped falling backwards from the office chair, holding Kylo’s datapad close to his chest, because Kylo flipped the office table with his bare hands startling him. Kylo didn’t stop with flipping the table, he started kicking the upturned furniture item as hard as he could. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes as his feet met the wooden table again and again. The sounds of wood splintering sounded as a whisper to the voiceless plea inside of him. _Force, please protect her._ The thought climbed out of his head and filled his heart with distress over how they left things. He needed to warn her, but how? _The bond._ He could reach her through their connection. 

“Leave” Kylo growled out not looking up from the overturned table. He listened as AD climbed up from the floor, unlocked the door, and raced from the room. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he lifted his head, called his lightsaber to his hands, and glanced around the office. He took note of the datapad left by AD on the floor and called it to him. Straightening up, he stormed from his own office without so much of an order to the two guards outside and began to make his way to his room. He was going to warn her that Hux had evidence to have him killed for fraternizing with her at some imaginary point, or worse that he had evidence that suggested she fraternized with him in some way. He knew if that video fell into the wrong hands that Rey could be killed just for kissing him. Hell, while he was thinking about it- he wanted to know why she kissed him. 

\--- 

Rey sat on a small bench in the hanger with Rose and Finn when she felt Ben’s rage, his terror, and then his determination. It was then she noticed he was scratching at the door between their minds. He hadn’t done that in over a month. It made her wonder what was going on. “Rey?” Finn said pulling her from her thoughts 

“Yeah” She grinned 

“Still with us?” He joked 

“Yep” she replied, popping her ‘p’ hard. 

“Good. So, Poe mentioned in his com that he received major news about Kylo Ren. He thinks it’s how we get him” Finn said smiling widely. 

“Did he mention what it was?” Rose asked. 

“Nope. Just told me to...keep it to myself” Finn whispered realizing he shared a confidence. 

Laughing aloud, each girl reassured him that his secret was safe with them. The three friends began to imagine what Ren’s secret could be. Finn suggested he was into some kinky sexual stuff like being peed on or dressing in diapers which gained a snort and laugh from Rose. Rose imagined that Ren was secretly an artist because “only a really sensitive person could have that temper”. Finn questioned how that could win the war to which Rose shushed him with a smile. And Rey, well she had a hard time imagining what Poe could have learned. At the encouragement of Finn and Rose to think of something, she reflected on some of her dreams that starred the handsome leader. Chewing on the inside of her mouth, she could feel Ben pushing at the door even harder as though he knew she was considering him. “He’s not who he tries to be”, she replies without reason. 

“What do you mean?” Rose asked 

“Ah...like you said he’s super sensitive so he must be a big softie” Rey grinned, hoping that the blush she felt creeping up her neck was not visible to their eyes. The quick glance down by Rose, destroyed that hope very quickly. 

“You got to try harder” Rose said eliciting a laugh from Rey 

“Nah. He’s exactly who he tries to be. A murdering psycho with mommy issues.” Finn says, standing from his chair and motioning towards the ship pulling into the hangar, “There’s Poe. Let’s keep this conversation to ourselves.” 

Rose and Rey agreed and they all watched as Poe settled the ship and climb out. Rey felt immediately through the force Poe’s shock at seeing the three of them waiting for him and heard the words ‘traitor’ echo through the air from his mind to hers. Before Rey’s face could portray her confusion, Rose reached over to her and pinched her, whispering “stop zoning out”. Rey smiled, shook her head, and returned her gaze towards Poe. Poe, who she felt struggling to smother his growing rage, walked toward his friends with a small smirk on his face. She reached out in the force and could feel the happiness that Finn had seeing Poe, the excitement Rose had to find out what they found, and oddly enough her own worry about what Poe had gathered to bring Kylo Ren down. Rey couldn’t help it as her mind wandered if Ben would be safe, how they would destroy him, or worse if they’d ask her to have his blood on her hands. She knew that everyone believed she killed Snoke as some sort of Jedi-in-Training order by Luke and she could not find it in her heart to correct them. Her words to an unconscious Ben while on the Supremacy, _If you have to say I did it then...please, be safe,_ echoed back through her mind causing her to worry even more. She gave him permission to blame her in hopes that he would be safe enough to reconcile with her. Whatever intel Poe gathered could take that from her. Ben’s life could end, and she would never get to know if he felt the same way about her as she did him. Rey couldn’t help but flinch slightly at the sudden pain in her chest thinking that he could be lost to her forever. 

“Rey, you okay?” Rose asked after witnessing her flinch. 

“Yeah...just the force. Ignore me.” Rey replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“You know you can talk to me, right?” Rose asked sensing that Rey was holding something back. 

“Yes, I know but thanks for reminding me.” Rey said, giving Rose a side hug as Poe stepped closer to them. 

“Hey pretty ladies”, Poe chirped then turned towards Finn, “I see you recruited these two keep you company while waiting for me. Next time though, I need you all to seem excited for me.” Poe gave his best smile, but Rey could sense his discomfort through the force. 

“You want excitement,” Rose said rushing forward and hugging Poe tight. Poe’s laughter encouraged Finn and Rey to participate thereby forcing Poe into a big group hug. As everyone laughed, Rey’s hand touched the bare skin on the back of Poe’s neck, transporting her into his memories without trying. 

_Poe glanced over towards Hux while tying his shoes after he exclaimed “Fuck!” loudly. He watched as he touched buttons on his datapad in frustration. Getting up and walking towards Hux, he stepped up behind him “What is it?”._

_“You need to watch this”, Hux said handing over the_ _datapad_ _without any hesitation. His eyes fell to the smoky screen in front of him. There he saw Rey sitting up after lying on the ground, looking around the room, glancing at a bundle of cloth, and running towards it quickly. He watched as the camera zoomed into her as she leaned over the unconscious man and pulled him over. Her shoulders shaking as her hands ran over his body as if she was crying. He felt a mixture of shock and disgust as she placed her head to his chest then cupping his face in her hands._

_“Hugs, what is this?” His eyes moving between the images in front of him and Hux’s angered eyes. “Treason” Hux answers._

_Poe eyes returned to the screen to see Rey kiss Ren, calling his lightsaber to her and reattaching it to his belt, and running off. He threw the datapad away from him. He looked at Hux as his mind replayed the story of the Supremacy that was told in the Resistance. “She lied”, he whispered aloud._

_“So, did he,” Hux said stepping away from Poe to pace, “I knew there was something about this girl. He carried her back from Takodana to the base. He wouldn’t let anyone touch her. I thought he was just infatuated by her but NO, he knows her. It all makes sense now. Did you know that he begged for her life on Starkiller Base?”_

_“What?” Poe asked watching Hux slowly become overwhelmed in his rage._

_“Yes, he knelt in front of Snoke and begged for her life. He promised to bring her to the dark if he had to. He was trying to protect his girlfriend. This lying sack of shit was trying to protect his lover!” Hux raged._

_“We don’t know that.” Poe tried to reason but doubt filled his mind as he recalled Finn’s report of how Ren carried her away and when he chased her through the woods of Starkiller._

_“I can tell by your face you don’t believe that.” Hux said_

_“Even if it’s true it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter, right? She’s with the Resistance and he’s the Supreme Leader” Poe reasoned_

_“Then why didn’t she tell you?” Hux asked in return._

_Poe felt his heart drop into his stomach as the words fell from his lips, “Because she’s his”. Glancing into Hux face, he felt the resolve building inside of him to save his friends from Rey and Ren alike. “She’s a traitor”, he growled out._

Snatching her hand from his neck, Rey took a step away as if burned. Luckily, Finn and Rose stepped back at the same time keeping Poe from noticing her shock. She swallowed deeply and remained quiet as Poe told them that he needed to meet with the General and a few other commanding officers because he had some intel. She watched as he glanced at her from the side and his lip twitched involuntarily. Forcing herself to smile, she made sure to send waves of calm from her through the force while slightly checking if he felt her in his mind. Confirming that he didn’t know she saw his memories, Rey took a relieved sigh as Finn pulled Poe forwards and started to walk them further into the base. Rey walked behind them slowly tuning out the simple ramblings from Rose. As they entered the main hallway, Rey made an excuse to separate from the group and walked towards her room. She didn’t have to turn around to sense Poe’s eyes on her as she fled. 

Rushing through her chamber doors, Rey closed and locked herself in the room and tried to not cry. She could feel Ben on the other end of their connection banging frantically at the doors in her mind. Closing her eyes, she breathed out and released the doors. She felt as the force pulled them together with a feeling of urgency. 

“Rey!” She heard Ben exclaim without opening her eyes. 

Rey began to tremble slightly from fear. Opening her eyes, the tears held securely within them leaked down her face when she saw the worried look on his face. “We have a problem”, she whispered as his eyes widened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know...cliffhanger. Don't kill me. <3


	3. The consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Synopsis: Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron, each aware of Rey’s actions on Supremacy, take steps to address it.

_Poe felt his heart drop into his stomach as the words fell from his lips, “Because she’s his”. Glancing at Hux face, he could see the moment the man’s mind began to race and every sequence known to him of Rey and Ren. Poe could feel his mind begin a similar track and knew that saving his friends from Ren and even Rey meant that he needed to consider the possibility of Rey being a traitor to the Resistance’s cause. He felt rather than heard the words “She’s a traitor” slide from between his lips as he pictured her eyes shifting to the ground when she was congratulated on killing Snoke._

_Hux looked down at the datapad, watching as video replayed itself, “If she’s a traitor, what does that make Ren?”, his question soft yet powerful in the now quiet room. Poe could feel his blood pressure rising and thumping loudly in his ears. He glanced again at the datapad and back to his lover’s face. He didn’t know how to address the inquiry of what it could mean for the Supreme Jackass to be a traitor. He is running the tyrannical machine, so he must believe in it. Right?_

_“What the hell are we going to do?” Poe asks aloud, ignoring Hux question and not truly expecting an answer._

_“The only thing we can do. We have to expose them. We have to make them pay for their deceit”, Hux says looking into Poe’s eyes, gauging his reaction. “People like them…those that rely on that—that sorcery, they believe they are above the law. Above order…They believe because they are ‘special’ that they are superior. You and I, we’re going to show them that they are not”._

_Poe was slightly shocked by Hux’s statement, “I don’t think Rey is like that. She didn’t even know she had the force before Finn found her—”_

_“Are you sure?” Hux asked._

_“Yeah, she said…” Poe fumbled over his words as his mind played back her omissions from Crait. She never told them why she was there on the Supremacy but appeared shy when questioned over her bounty. His mind played back the way she looked at the floor and slightly flushed as if embarrassed or modest. The way she chewed on the inside of her mouth as if swallowing back words._

_“But was it the truth?”, Hux asked then turning away from Poe to keep himself from exploding, “Think about it, Poe. I mean really think. It doesn’t add up. You can’t tell me you’re that naïve”. Poe shook his head trying to compartmentalize everything going through his mind. Things such as Rey not participating in ribbing against Ren, the puffiness of her eyes for days after their escape._

_“No, it’s just…He’s the Supreme Leader. Your boss! And she—she’s the only chance that the resistance has to….” Poe’s voice trails off as his words “she’s his” echoes in his ears. The faces of friends passing before his eyes. Their collective pain when they find out that she was a fake, burrowing deep into his psyche, and momentarily stealing his breath away._

_“The only chance you have to beat Ren”, Hux spoke aloud the words that Poe can’t bring himself to say, “So let’s help her…Let’s use his weakness to destroy him”._

_“How?” Poe asks, his gut turning in disgust at the very thought of working against one of his own. Working against someone he thought was a friend. Working against someone who became a beacon of hope for him._

_“He claims she killed Snoke, but I bet you a million credits he did it to save the girl. We need to get her to admit it. We need to convince her to save herself or…at least allow those precious scavenger instincts to survive kick in.” He replies smirking as different strategies to destroy Ren’s life played across his face and striking fear in Poe’s heart. His throat thickened as he watched Hux start to pace and openly detail their options to destroy not only Ren, but to expose Rey for what she may very well be---a liar._

“You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?” Finn’s voice cut through Poe’s wandering mind.

“What?”, Glancing around he realized that they made it to the command center. He didn’t even remember walking that far after Rey excused herself. He was so aware of her lagging behind them as they walked that as soon as she gave her flimsy excuse to leave, he breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, he did more than that—he walked all the way to the command room without being cognizant of it.

“No. I’m sorry. It’s just…the stuff I found out, Finn. It’s big. Like I wish it wasn’t true big.” Poe said, trying to steel himself for walking into the room where his commanding officers lie in wait to hear the latest intel.

“Really? So, we really got him. Like really, really?” Rose said, her face lighting up with anticipation.

Nodding, Poe took the deepest breath he could and metaphorically stepped off the ledge and into Hux’s step 1. _Complete and total Isolation_. “Yeah, we do…but I need you guys to come with me. I—I can’t do this without you knowing…the truth.”

“Shit”, Finn said watching the seriousness cross Poe’s face. “I’ll go get Rey man. If it’s that big- “

“No!” Poe exclaims grabbing Finn’s arm as he started to turn away from the room, “We can get her after…I need you and Rose. I…. we’ll get her after. She didn’t look too good”. His lips twitching in what he hopes is a relaxing smirk.

“Okay, sure. We can go in and fill her in later” Rose answers for them both stepping forward and grasping the door handle. Feeling Finn step forward, Poe nods and Rose turns the handle.

____

Kylo felt the force rush outwards from his body as the bond connected him to Rey. Eyes snapping open, he couldn’t help as her name flew from her lips as soon as he saw her, “Rey”. _Still as beautiful as the first time._ Eyes roaming over her body, he took in her posture- the slight tremble of muscle beneath the skin, the silent tears rolling down her face, and the small whisper of words falling from her pink lips, “We have a problem”.

“What?” He heard himself ask as his brain replayed her statement.

“I said ‘we have a problem’”, She repeated. Before he could ask her to explain herself, the words tumbled from her lips and effectively choked his heart. “Poe came back from his mission to...I didn’t mean too but I saw into his mind. Ben, he saw us on the Supremacy. It was mostly me, but he saw me help you. He saw me--” Rey voice trailed off, apprehension filling the space between them because she almost provided him with information on a resistance mission.  
“Kissing me?” Ben asked sensing her discomfort through their connection but unwillingly to let her bury her actions.

“Yes. Wait, how did you know I kissed you? You were unconscious.” She sniffled, a whiff of mistrust floating towards him, as she calmed herself.

“I saw it an hour or so ago. One of my technician’s caught someone stealing damaged security footage from the Supremacy and brought me what they took” Kylo said as business like as possible. He could sense her desire to build up mental walls between them. He knew that if he didn’t tell her the truth, she would block him out again and he couldn’t take that chance. Not today. Their lives depended on it.

“Do you know who took it?” She asked.

“No”, He answered watching her face carefully as he spoke the next words, “Whomever did it, sent it to General Hux’s personal datapad”. As the words cross his lips, his brain registered what Rey kept from him. Dameron went on a mission for intel. Intel from a Resistance Spy. “He’s a traitor”, he whispered. Laughter slipped out from his lips as he felt rage grow inside of his chest. The very thought that Hux, Mr Order and Submission himself was a traitor meant her truly could trust anyone. Closing his eyes, he took a breath in through his nose to keep himself from erupting in her presence. He was going to kill Hux as soon as he stepped foot on the ship.

“That’s what Poe called me”, Rey said in a small voice causing his rage to evaporate and his eyes to pop open. He searched her face and saw the barely contained sorrow etched in her features.

“You’re not a traitor. Not to them--” Kylo spoke before his brain could stop it.  
“To you?” She asked, disbelief coating her words.

“I didn’t say that. Tell me what you saw.” He deflected.

“Not until you tell me what you mean ‘not to them’”, she demanded.

“Rey, it doesn’t matter right now. Just tell me what you saw. Please.” He implored. Kylo stared into her eyes, hoping that she could see the worry reflected in his eyes. He watched as her eyes darted over his features and then her sigh.

“I hugged Poe when he came back from wherever he was--”

“with Hux.” Kylo interjects

“Fine. Yes. Anyways, I hugged him right along with Rose and Finn. My hand touched his neck, and I was pulled right into his mind. I realized after that he didn’t notice, but it was too late. I saw him with Hux watching a video of me, checking on you and fleeing. I could hear his thoughts while watching it and feel what he felt. There wasn’t any sound on the video, but the images were enough. He believes I am a traitor, that I am a danger to the Resistance. He was so angry when he saw it, Ben. I never...the only time I ever felt anything like that was...” Her voice trailing off

“with me”, He supplied. Regret creeping across his chest as he watched her lowering her gaze.

“Yes. On Starkiller. Anyways, they had this whole conversation about it and I’m certain he is going to ask me about the video”, Rey said sadly.

Kylo buried his nails into his palm to ground himself with the pain. He knew Rey cared about her friends and knew that it would break her to lie to them. Slowly opening his palm, he stretched out his fingers and hand. He focused on the stinging sensation to keep himself present in the room with her. He could feel his darkness skirting around the edges of his mind, begging him to lash out, to grab her and wrench her across the bond unto safety. He could feel her fear snaking between them and in that instant, he was not sure, if she was fearful from her memories with him or fearful of the moments to come.

___

Poe watched Rose and Finn walk into the room where General Leia Organa, Kaydel Co Connix, and Captain Phillip Waren sat chatting among themselves. He glanced back as he heard the door click shut and breathed out. He wasn’t sure if he could do this. _How do you destroy someone you once trusted?_

He watched as Rose and Kaydel hugged one another briefly, the love and friendship between them evident. _Let’s use his weakness to destroy him,_ Hux’s words popped up in his mind reminding him that Ren may love Rey or as close as a monster like him can get, which is his weakness. He is obsessed with her. As the chatter quieted and eyes took him in, he remembered his new mission— _Break her._

“So, commander I was informed that you may have found a way for us to beat Kylo Ren”, Waren spoke up.

“Actually, I found a way for the First Order to beat him for us”, Poe looked at everyone in the room taking in their expressions. “It turns out that Ren has a secret. A big fucking secret if you ask me.”

“If you’re talking about his heritage Poe, most of command know of this” Leia says, phrasing it as though it didn’t hurt to think of her son heading the regime. She glanced around watching as most except Rose nod.

“Ah, no Leia. It’s…it’s Rey. I have evidence that they may have known each other outside of the war.” Poe answers, straightening his shoulders. His eyes shot over to Finn, whose eyebrows narrowed in disbelief. The silence from everyone sending a chill down his spine.

Pulling the data stick from his pocket. He began just as Hux suggested. “On this data stick is a video of Rey and Ren on the supremacy. It’s pretty clear in the video that they have some type of relationship with one another that transcends enemies. Not only that but my informant provided a first-hand account of Ren asking Snoke, no begging Snoke for her life when he brought her to Starkiller base”.

“What the hell are you talking about Poe?! He kidnapped her.” Finn exclaimed

“Are you sure?” Poe questioned

“Yes. Han and I watched him take her. You know that.” He speaks

“My informant was there on Starkiller, Finn. He said he didn’t follow protocol for securing a prisoner— “

“I could have told you that”, Finn interjected

Cutting him off, Poe continued “No Finn. He wouldn’t let anyone near her. I mean at all. He sat in there until she woke up then walked into Snoke’s throne room and begged him to let her live when she didn’t answer him while being interrogated”

“Because she kicked him out her head!” Finn yelled

“I’ve had him in my head Finn! If he wants something he isn’t going to ask nicely! He tears your fucking head apart!”, He screamed in frustration. Sighing as everyone looked at him in shock, he continued, with the bomb as Hux called it, “He traded Han’s life for hers.”

Finn’s eyes widened and Leia gasped. He could see them trying to deny what he was saying, so he pushed on. “My informant said Ren got on his knees and begged Snoke to let her live. He swore that he would do anything. Turn her to the dark even.” Poe looked directly at Leia as the hard words exited his lips, “Snoke’s price was Han Solo. The one thing that Ren refused to give in the seven years he was with him”. Poe remembering to stress that it was Ren’s line in the sand as instructed by Hux.

Leia eyes closed and Poe didn’t have to be force sensitive to sense the pain radiating from her. His throat felt dry and it hurt to swallow but he trusted this was the right thing. He had to trust this was the right thing. “He said Snoke punished him for refusing to kill her when she drew her saber. Snoke believed that they were lovers. My-my informant does too after seeing the video”.

“What exactly is on the video, Poe?” Waren asked.

“Rey…She was on the ship and Ren was knocked out. It seemed like she thought he was dead or something and she lost it. Then she checked on him, kissed him and fled.” He answered.

“That’s why you didn’t want us to bring her in here.” Rose spoke up.

He nodded and looked back to Waren and Leia. “He said that Ren has everyone looking for her. He even made her bounty a no harm no kill bounty”.

“Yeah, but you knew that already” Kaydel says.

“Yeah, but after the video Kay, I get it. He’s trying to get her back. My informant thinks that he killed Snoke to protect her”.

Everyone in the room spoke at once when those words were said.

“He tried to kill her” Finn blurts

“She said she did it” Kaydel supplies

“I thought Luke instructed her to kill him” Waren notes

“That doesn’t make sense” Rose wonders

“She believed he’d turn” Leia says softly

All voices stopped as Leia’s voice shone above all the rest as if she yelled it. All eyes darted to her. Poe knew this was the moment. “Let’s ask her”, Poe says. _Isolate,_ he hears Hux say in his head.

—

“I can come get you, if you need me to” Ben whispers. If her eyes hadn’t snapped up to look him in the face, he’d doubt that she even heard him. “I know that we’re not…” The sadness for what was lost between them stealing the words from him.

“I’m okay. They’re my friends. Finn won’t let anything happen to me” She replies, sounding as if she was trying to convince herself.

“Right”, Ben says, “Well my offer still stands if—”

“I’m not joining the order!” She yells

Ben’s eyes widen from the strength behind her words, “I was saying if you needed me to come get you”. Rey’s face reddens as her eyes dart from side to side, embarrassment slinking between their connection. “I know that you’d never stay with me. You made that perfectly clear when you left me.”

“I didn’t….I had to save my friends, Ben.” She justified.

“Yeah, I remember”, He says standing and turning his back to her. He didn’t want to get into her turning on him right now. He simply wanted to warn her that she could be in danger and convince her to get away from them. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm the darkness growing inside of him. _She loves you._ AD words popped into his skull, halting the growing anger in his chest that normally accompanies his thoughts of her abandoning him. “Show me”, the words climb out of his chest at the force’s insistence.

“What?” She answers shock.

“I saw the video, but I want to see it from your point of view. I want to know why their lives were more important than mine” Ben says, swallowing thickly

“No” she blurts out

“No?” He questions turning back towards her and unconsciously stepping forward.

“I-I can’t let you…No.” She says shaking her head and pulling herself out of reach.

“Why?” He asks, his curiosity peaked, “I saw you kiss me. I want to know what was going on in your head…If I’m going to make sure you’re safe. I need to know what happened. I was unconscious, remember.”

“And now, you’re being a dick” Rey says

“No, I’m not. I’m making a simple request. Before you go off to explain to your friends”, He says the word friends with disgust, “I should at least know from your point of view, what happened. It’s my life on the line too, you know” He says moving just a little closer.

“Ben” She warns, putting her hand up to stop him from moving closer

“I’m not going to force you Rey. I just think it’s the right thing to do”, the right corner of his mouth twitching up as he feels the force emphasizing his words with conviction. Encouraging him to move closer.

—

“Show us the video before gathering the girl”, Waren states in a way that indicated it was not up for debate.

“Sure. You must know that the video does not have any audio but the images alone tell a very convincing story” Poe says walking toward the console.

“Yeah, the story you and your informant made up” Finn snaps, “I know Rey. She’s not a traitor or a liar”.

“When you see the video Finn, you’ll understand. She’s lying about something. They’re…connected. I promise you that”

Ensuring the data stick was plugged in. Poe blew a breath out and pressed play. He watched as the images began and his audience became captivated.

—

Snatching his gloves from his hands, Ben stepped closer to Rey. He could feel the force vibrating with anticipation. He could tell by her widening eyes and parted lips that she too could feel the force’s elation. “Please sweetheart, let me see”, He whispered. _Sweetheart…Where’d that come from._ He watched as her eyes traced his face and her blinks increasing as if she was holding back tears while they roamed. He slowly brought his uncovered hands up to cup her face, reminiscent of her embrace in the burning throne room. “Rey”, he whispered as her eyes closed, his hands touched her skin ,and he was transported from his mind to hers.

He could see and hear everything. He felt her fear, her guilt, her confusion, her yearning, her relief, and her sorrow. More than anything, he felt the torrent of love and possessiveness that cut through her heart as she made a choice that he realized she has yet to forgive herself for. He could feel her tear tracks sliding down her face as she committed herself to protecting her friends and losing him. He listened to her heartbroken plea to the force to reconcile them one day. As the vision ended and their collective gasp echoed in the room, Ben made a choice. He quickly bent to her face, still cupped in his hands, and kissed her. He pushed all his desire and love into that kiss. Silently pleading with the force in his mind, _Please force don’t let this be the last time you allow me to kiss her._

_—_

The video ended and the command room was silent. Poe took in the faces of the occupants. The look of sadness on Leia’s, the sorrow on Rose’s, the barely contained rage on Waren’s, the betrayal darkening Kaydel’s, and the emptiness in Finn’s. In that instant he knew the job was done. No one would protect her. She was truly alone.

“I’ll get her myself” Finn spoke up, pushing himself from his chair and walking towards the door.

“Take Matt with you” Waren’s voice rang out in the still silent room. Finn nodded but never looked back.

__

Needing to breathe, Ben pulled away from Rey’s lips just a tad. He could feel wetness falling onto his hands still cupping her jaw and her hands clinched into his tunic by his waist. Leaning his forehead to hers, he listened to the soft pants coming from her parted mouth. “You’re not alone”, he whispered softly- the air from his words tickling her lips- hoping she remembered. 

“Neither are you”, she whispered back then pushing her lips back upon his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I appreciate everyone that has stuck around for this. I found that Poe was a little too cruel so I had to take some time to re-write. That level of cruelty didn't match with the rest of the outline for him.
> 
> Also, yes I know I use both Ben and Kylo in this chapter, there's a reason for this promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, AD-1183 is Adam. Lol. I figured why not.  
> And yes, the force did it and wasn't ashamed to send it from its own email address.


End file.
